Flushing apparatus.



0. 0 mm 21 L G 0 d B t n B t a P S U T A R E A .6 WM .H JS u I.- F m 8 5 6 0 N (Application filed Nov. 15,1898. Renewed Nov. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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' NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

FLUSHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,751, dated October 2, 1900. Application filed November 15, 1898. Renewed November 8, 1899. Serial No. 786,287. (No model.)

To. (ZZZ 'w/tom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. BERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Iowa City, in the county of Johnson and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Flushing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a flushing apparatus for sewers, the same being of the siphon type, and one object in view is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of parts to facilitate the making of the siphon action with certainty at the proper point in the operation of the apparatus and avoid the breaking of such action until the operation of emptying the tank has been completed, to provide improved means whereby the tank may be entirely emptied with the exception of sufficient water to constitute a seal for the lower end of the dome or inlet-arm of the siphon, to insure the removal of sediment and other accumulations at the bottom of the tank, and, furthermore, to provide an improved construction of auxiliary or relief trap or siphon whereby foreign substances are excluded therefrom and the blowing out thereof is delayed until the level of the water in the descending arm of the main trap or siphon is at a sufficient distance below the inlet end of the auxiliary or relief siphon.

A further object of the invention is to arrange the sewer-pipe and the discharge-leg of the siphon in such relation to the tank as to permit cleaning and inspection of the sewer-pipe and such discharge-siphon limb.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of a flushing apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view in perspective of the base of the dome or inlet-arm of the main trap or siphon. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a portion of the dome to show the means whereby it is engaged with the dome-base. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a slightly-modified construction of dome-base.

Similar referencecharacters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The main trap or siphon 1 consists of a descending arm 10, an ascending or discharge arm 11, and an inlet-arm 12, constructed in the form of a dome, which incloses the upper inlet end of the descending arm 10 and is arranged within a suitable tank 13, into which extends a supply-pipe 1 1. Encircling the descending arm of the main siphon, with its upper surface approximately flush with the floor of the tank 13, is a dome-base 15, having an annular chamber 16, which receives the lower edge of the dome 12, said lower edge thus being depressed below the plane of the bottom or floor of the tank. To support the dome, however, with its lower edge out of contact with the bottom of the chamber 16, I provide the latter with spanning supports or bridges 17, which are centrally depressed to arrange the lower edge of the dome sufiiciently below the plane of the tank-floor. To prevent the blowing of the dome out of its normal position, it is provided at its lower edge with engaging devices consisting of lugs'l8, having tongues 19 spaced from the lower edge of the dome to engage under the supports or bridges 17. The dome after being arranged with its lower edge upon the supports or bridge 17 is turnedin one direction or the other, according to the direction of expansion of the tongues 19, to cause the latter to engage the supports, and it is obvious that to remove the dome an opposite movement thereof is necessary.

The ascending or discharge arm 11 of the main siphon communicates by a lateral outlet 20 with a sewer 21 or other pipe to be flushed; but I preferably extend the arm 11 above the plane of said outlet, as shown at 22, and fit it in the plane of'the tank-floor witha removable cover 23, whereby access may be had when desired to the interior of the arm 11 to remove obstructions or accumulations of foreign matter. 7

The connecting-arm 20 between the sewerpipe 21 and the discharge-leg of the siphon is inclined upwardly from the sewer-pipe. The extension 22 between the cover 23 and the inclined arm 20 is quite short, so that on remo val ofthe cover 23 access can be obtained not only to the short leg of the siphon, but

e'ssnsi also to the sewer-pipe 21 for the purpose of inspecting and cleaning the trap and the sewerpipe. It is therefore to be understood that the sewer discharge-pipe leads from the interior of the tank and connects with the discharge-leg of the siphon, said pipe having an extension or section closed by means of a removable closure at its end into which the siphon discharges.

In the service of the main trap the water overflows from the short leg thereof into the inclined branch 20 of the sewer-pipe, and from one standpoint the short extension 22 serves simply as a connection for the sewerpipe and the discharge-siphon leg with the chamber of the tank, so as to secure the desirable features of inspection and cleaning of these parts. On the removal of the cover 23 from the bottom of the tank the leg 11 of the siphon is open to view, and the line of vision to the sewer-pipe is in an inclined direction, so as to strike the short deflected branch 20 of the sewer-pipe, thus permitting a View of the latter to be obtained.

The auxiliary or relief trap or siphon consists of an ascending inlet-arm 24, which communicates with the descending arm of the main siphon, a descending arm 25, and an ascending discharge-arm 26, which communicates at its outlet end with the ascending or discharge arm 11 of the main trap or siphon at or near the plane of the lateral outlet 20. The inlet-arm of the auxiliary or relief trap or siphon is arranged to ascend from its point of communication with the descending arm of the main trap or siphon to prevent the access to said auxiliary or relief trap of floating debris or foreign substances traversing the descending arm of the main trap or siphon, and by extending the descending arm 25 of said auxiliary trap downward to a point considerably below the inlet end of the arm 24 the level of the water in the arm 10 of the main trap may be depressed a sufficient distance below the level of the mouth of the inlet-arm 24 to insure the proper filling of said arm 10 when the contents of the auxiliary or relief trap are blown out. In operation the normal level of the water in the arms 10 and 11 of the main trap or siphon is indicated by the dotted line a, which is above the body portion of the auxiliary or relief trap,and as the water flows into the tank through the supply-pipe 14 and the level of the water in the tank rises the air contained in the inlet and descending arms 12 and 10 of the main trap is compressed and forces the level of the water in the arm 10 downward to discover the inlet end of the auxiliary or relief trap. The depression of the surface of the water in the main trap continues until the force of the compressed air is sufficient to blow out the contents of the auxiliary trap or siphon, (as when said level in the arm 10 reaches the plane, approximately, of the dotted line 12,) when the reduction of pressure in the arm 10 due to the escape through the auxiliary trap causes the water to rise in the inlet-arm 12, overflow the upper end of the arm 10, and fill said arm 10 to complete the siphon. The water then flows by siphon action out of the main trap and into the sewer until the level of the water in the tank is lowered sufficiently to allow the siphon to be broken by the influx of air through a sniff-hole 27 in the dome. Owing,however,to the depression of the lower edge of the dome below the plane of the floor of the tank, the seal in said lower edge of the dome is in the chamber 16, all of the water having left the floor of the tank and having been drawn into or through the chamber 16 by the action of the siphon.

The auxiliary or relief trap preferably consists of a passage formed in a cast web 28, which is interposed between the descending and ascending arms 10 and 11 of the main trap or siphon, this construction insuring strength in the matter of the auxiliary trap and also serving to brace the arms of the main trap. The web is made of sufiicient thickness to accommodate the channel at the point of intersection of the descending arm 25 with the ascending discharge-arm 26.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a slightly-modified construction of dome-base consisting of a pan having a central opening 29 of suflicient diameter to receive the descending arm of the main trap or siphon and provided with supports 30, consisting of straps or the equivalents thereof corresponding in function with the supports or bridges 17 and adapted to form bearings for the lower edge of the dome in a plane below that of the tank bottom or floor.

The extension'of the dischargearm 11 of the main trap above the plane of the lateral outlet 20 serves not only to give access to the interior of said arm for cleaning purposes, but to enable the water when the main trap is in siphon action to ascend and thus facilitate its escape into the sewer, any confined air in this extension of the arm 11 forming a cushion.

The inclination of the discharge-arm of the auxiliary trap facilitates the discharge of the contents thereof and is more desirable in practice than a discharge-arm which rises vertically. In other words, when the water in the main trap has been depressed to the proper point to effect the discharge of the contents of the auxiliary trap such discharge occurs promptly and abruptly.

I have found in practice that when the water-levels have been reduced approximately to the plane indicated by the line bin Fig. 1, whereby the pressure of air in the descending arm 10 of the main trap or siphon supports a column of water equal to the length of the arm 26 of the auxiliary trap or a column of water equal to the distance between the lower loop of said auxiliary trap and the upper extremity of the arm 26 and hence a proportionately-slight reduction of the level of the Water in said arm causes the immediate and complete discharge of water from the arm 26, whereby the relief is prompt and abrupt, and hence the overflow of water from the dome or bell into the arm 10 is sufficient to complete the siphon before the level of the water in the arm lOcan rise to close the inlet end of the arm 24. This relief of pressure is accomplished more abruptly with an inclined discharge-arm 26 than with a vertical arm such as that shown and described in my copending application, Serial No. 669,813, filed February 10, 1898.

The inlet end of the inlet-arm of the auxiliary trap is arranged below the normal waterlevel in the descending arm of the main trap, and hence is normally submerged, whereby as the level of the water in the descending arm of the main trap is depressed before saidinlet end of the auxiliary trap is exposed water may be forced from the main trap into the auxiliary trap to insure an efficient charge in the latter.

The dome may be provided at its top with any suitable grip or handhold, such as that illustrated in Fig. l.

The construction and arrangement of the pressure-relief passage, aside from the inclined disposition of the inlet and discharg ing arms thereof, are shown, described, and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 669,813, and hence do not form the subject-matter of claims in this application.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a flushing apparatus, the combination with a tank, of a main trap having inlet, descending and discharge arms, and an auxiliary pressure-relief trap having an inlet-arm 24 which inclines upward from its inlet end in communication with the descending arm ofthe main trap, and is located wholly below the normal level of Water in said main-trap descending arm, a descending arm 25 communicating with the inlet-arm 24, and a discharge arm 26 inclining upward from the lower end of the descending arm 25 toward its outlet end, and in communication with said discharge-arm of the main trap, substantially as specified.

2. In aflushing apparatus, the combination with a tank, of a main trap or siphon having inlet, descending and discharge arms, and a web interposed between the descending and discharge arms of the main trap and provided with a channel forming an auxiliary or relief trap having inlet, descending and discharge arms, substantially as specified.

3. In a flushing apparatus, the combination with a tank, of a main trap or siphon having descending and discharge arms, of which the former extends at its inlet end above the plane of the tank-floor, and a dome inclosing said inlet end of the descending armand extending at its lower edge below the plane of the floor of the tank, and a hollow dome-base provided with a cavity arranged below the plane of the tankfloor to receive the depressed lower edge of the dome, said dome-base being provided above its bottom with supports for upholding the lower edge of the dome above the bottom of the base, substantially as specified.

4. In a flushing apparatus, the combination with a tank, of a main trap or siphon having descending and discharge arms, of which the former extends at its inlet end above the plane of the tank-floor, and a dome inclosing said inlet end of the descending arm, and a domebase having an annular cavity depressed be= low the plane of the tank-floor and provided with spanning supports or bridges, located below the plane of the tank-floor to support the lower edge of the dome, substantially as specified.

5. In a flushing apparatus, the combination with a tank, of a main trap or siphon having descending and discharge arms, of which the former extends at its inlet end above the plane of the tank-floor, and a dome inclosing said inlet end of the descending arm, a dome-base having an annular cavity depressed below the plane of the tank-floor and provided with transverse supports for the lower edge of the dome also below the level of the tank-floor, and an interlocking connection between the dome and the supports ofsaid base, substantially as specified.

6. In a flushing apparatus, the combination with a tank, of a main trap or siphon having descending and discharge arms, of which the former extends at itsinlet end above the plane of the tank-floor, and a dome inclosing said inlet end of the descending arm, a dome-base having an annular cavity arranged below the plane of the tank-floor and provided with supports consisting of straps to receive the lower edge of the dome and maintain the latter also below the plane of the tank-floor, and tongues carried by the lower edge of the dome for extending under and engaging said supports, substantially as specified.

'7. In a flushing apparatus, the combination with a tank, of a main trap or siphon having descending and discharge arms, of which the former extends at its inlet end above the plane of the tank-floor, and a removable dome inclosing said inlet end of the descending arm, and provided at its top with a grip, a dome-base having an annular cavity depressed below the plane of the tank-floor and provided with supports consisting of straps 17 for the lower edge of the dome, and laterally-extending rigid tongues 18 carried by the dome and terminally spaced from the lower edge thereof for engagement, respectively, with said supports, substantially as specified.

8. In a flushing apparatus for sewers, the

combination with a reservoir, of a siphon for l discharging-its contents provided Withra trap at its discharge end beneath the reservoir, which trap has a Vertical discharge limb which extends up to and communicates with the bottom of the reservoir and is provided with a nipple which projects laterally from one side thereof, said nipple being adapted to be connected with a sewer-pipe, and a cover for the end of the trap, substantially as de- 10 scribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. BERRY.

Witnesses:

R. P. HOWELL, S. E. SToVER. 

